You put a lot of merit on the interpretation of some notes. In actual fact, the notes do not appear to be solid or formal correspondence. They're actually informal correspondence.
As a former departmental official, if one were to apply strong merit to those notes, would it be your opinion that the following letter would bind the department to a specific course of action? I'm referring now to the letter that Ms. Joan Reid sent to all snow crab licence holders when she stated:
It is expected that due to the strong recruitment, a TAC exceeding 9700t may be approved in 2009, thus triggering the permanent 50%:50% sharing agreement recommended by the Advisory Panel on Access and Allocation....
That was in 2005.
As a former departmental employee and someone who is very aware of the fishery, should this committee take that as an absolute binding contract, the minister and the department providing letters to crab licence holders that the 50%-50% sharing arrangement will come into place? Should we view that as a binding contract as well, the same way you're suggesting that it should be a binding contract for Mr. Rhyno to receive his licence?